With all eyes on Facebook, and being the company of the moment, it would seem that not even the tiniest little detail seems to slip by the watchful eyes of the technology loving world. Facebook has over nine hundred million registered members, the majority of whom visit and use the social network’s services regularly by logging in through a variety of different methods such as the web, mobile browsers or mobile apps.
Like a number of high profile websites, Facebook believes that their website is best experienced when a specific web browser is used. To get this fact across to the visiting public, the company has an unsupported web browser page, which is basically a part of the site that informs the user if they are using a web browser which the company doesn’t officially support. The page then offers a list of alternative browsers which will provide a better Facebook experience. Until recently, Facebook recommended using either Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome for the best experience.
It looks as though today has brought about a minor shift in what they are recommending to their members, as the page that once displayed Google Chrome as a preferred browser choice now replaces that suggestion with the Opera browser. It may seem a little bizarre for a site like Facebook to stop recommending what is probably the world’s most widely used browser, but when you dig a little deeper it isn’t as scandalous as it first appears. We have heard in recent times that Facebook may be looking to add Opera to their list of acquired companies and with today’s change in browser recommendations, that rumor may have gained a little more significance, and while it may not point to an immediate take over, it could certainly spell the beginning of a Facebook-Opera relationship going forward.
Before the alarm bells start ringing and panic sets in, it is worth remembering that just because Google Chrome has been removed from the list of official recommended browsers it doesn’t mean that it is no longer supported on Chrome. Google’s browser is one of the most widely used solutions across the world, and along with Safari, may no longer be recommended by Facebook but will continue to render all aspects of the site without issue. After all, this is merely an issue of Facebook recommending an alternative browser, not dropping support for it.
What do you guys make out of it? Do you think Facebook is really on the verge of acquiring Opera or is the whole thing a change in recommendation only?
(via Neowin)
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